Whitney Houston cause of death 'not known'

Whitney Houston was found by a member of her entourage in her hotel room on Saturday Getty

US officials have said it is too soon to determine whether prescription drugs were involved in Whitney Houston's death.

Website TMZ reported that the star's family were told by Los Angeles
County Coroner officials that prescription medication mixed with alcohol
- and not drowning - appear to be to blame.

But Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said that it was too early
to determine what caused the 48-year-old singer to be discovered dead in
her bathtub in her room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Asked about the reports, said to have come from family sources,
he said: "I'm the one that talked to the family and I did not provide
that information..."

He confirmed Houston was found in the bath, but said that it was
too soon to determine the cause of death before the results of
toxicology tests.

"We are awaiting the results of toxicology tests," he said: "We do not know yet (the cause of death)."

"When we find out ... we will be in contact with the family and give them our findings."

Mr Winter said Houston's family are "making arrangements" to have
the singer's body returned to them following the completion of the
autopsy.

He said in a press conference: "I don't know when the family is
going to have her body. They are making arrangements. Sometimes it takes
a couple of days."

He added: "The autopsy has been completed, there is no hold on the body."

The US singer was found by a member of her entourage in her hotel
room on Saturday, just hours before she was supposed to appear at a
pre-Grammy gala.

Beverly Hills Police Lieutenant Mark Rosen said there were no indications of foul play when she was found.

Paramedics' attempts to revive her were unsuccessful and Houston,
once the golden girl of the pop world, was pronounced dead shortly
before 4pm.

The 54th annual Grammy awards opened with a prayer and standing
ovation to the singer, who herself won a clutch of six prestigious
Recording Academy gongs over a turbulent career marred by spells of drug
addiction.

Host LL Cool J said: "There is no way around this. We've had a
death in our family so at least for me, the only thing that seems right
is to start with a prayer for our fallen sister Whitney Houston."

He declared the night one to "celebrate and remember", and played
a clip of Houston performing I Will Always Love You from the 1994
Grammys.

Later in the show, actress and singer Jennifer Hudson performed
an emotional tribute, singing a rendition of the late star's biggest
hit.

Dressed in black, with only the accompaniment of a piano, she had
to fight back tears as she sang the song, ending with the line: "Whitney, we will always love you."

Stevie Wonder said: "To Whitney up in heaven, we all love you."

Houston, one of the world's best-selling artists in the 1980s and
1990s, was due to perform at the annual pre-Grammy party of her
long-time mentor, record producer Clive Davis at the Beverly Hilton on
Saturday.

Meanwhile, Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, was taken to
a Los Angeles hospital by ambulance and later released. A source close
to the family said she was treated for stress and anxiety.

The 18-year-old, who is Houston's daughter from her tumultuous
marriage to singer Bobby Brown, had accompanied her mother to several
pre-Grammy Awards events.

Bobby Brown said in a statement: "At this time, we ask for privacy, especially for my daughter, Bobbi Kristina.

"I appreciate all of the condolences that have been directed towards my family and I at this most difficult time."